Base Camp Scouting for the Epic Backpacking Adventure!

7/8/2012 - With Hollie Hatch

For my second to last weekend in town we are planning an epic pseudo-backpacking adventure out trail creek.  We are going to hike in about two miles and set up a base camp, then we are going to day hike up to Surprise Valley and Moose Lake on Saturday and we are going to go out the left fork of Fall Valley Creek on Sunday.  This is going to take out hikes 21 through 24 in a weekend, and also be the greatest time we ever had.  Sunday HH and I decided to hike out the two miles and make sure there is actually a place to set up this proposed base camp that won't involve sleeping on a rock pile or sage brush or at a 45 degree angle where we wake up in a pile at the bottom corner of our tent.  What we found far exceeded our expectations.  I am SO STOKED for this trip now!  Flat meadow next to a creek where there is a large dry rocky area for a campfire.  Check it out!!  Like what you see? Come with us!! :D  Seriously, who doesn't want to check out a place called "Surprise Valley" or "Moose Lake?"  I can tell you, I am a lot more stoked about the promise of Moose Lake than I was about Bear Gulch.  I mean, I know we only have black bears and the moose is probably actually more dangerous, but no one ever says, "Make sure there is no food in your tent so the moose doesn't get you in the night." So the take home message is that we are going base camp backpacking, it is going to be awesome, and you should come.  Let me show you...

And that's only the first two miles...